1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for mounting removably a disk drive in an electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatuses that permit installation and removal of a disk drive, such as a thin-type optical disk drive, in and from an electronic device, such as a personal computer, without the use of a tool are well known. One such known apparatus is disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model M260829. As shown in FIG. 1, the known apparatus includes a disk drive casing 12, an electrical connector 14, and a latch unit.
The disk drive casing 12 serves to receive a disk drive 13 therein, and is mounted securely on a disk drive bay 11 of an electronic device (not shown).
The disk drive 13 has a front end 131, and a rear end 132 that is opposite to the front end 131 thereof and that is provided with a terminal 133.
The electrical connector 14 is provided on the disk drive casing 12, and is coupled electrically to the terminal 133 of the disk drive 13 when the disk drive 13 is received in the disk drive casing 12.
The latch unit serves to retain removably the disk drive 13 in the disk drive casing 12. In particular, the latch unit includes first and second latch members 25, 21, first and second interlocking members 251, 211, and an operating member 23. The first latch member 25 is provided on a lateral side of the disk drive 13. The first interlocking member 251 is in the form of an engaging groove that is formed in the first latch member 25. The second latch member 21 is mounted movably on the disk drive casing 12. The second interlocking member 211 is in the form of an engaging protrusion that is formed on the second latch member 21. The second latch member 21 is movable relative to the disk drive casing 12 between a latched position, where the second interlocking member 211 engages the first interlocking member 251, thereby retaining releasably the disk drive 13 in the disk drive casing 12, as best shown in FIG. 2, and an unlatched position, where the second interlocking member 211 disengages from the first interlocking member 251, thereby permitting removal of the disk drive 13 from the disk drive casing 12, as best shown in FIG. 3.
The latch unit further includes a first biasing member 22 for biasing the second latch member 21 to the latched position.
The operating member 23 is mounted movably on the disk drive casing 12, and has a middle portion 231, and first and second end portions 234, 233 that extend in different directions from the middle portion 231. The operating member 23 is movable relative to the disk drive casing 12 in a first axial direction, and a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction.
The latch unit further includes a guide 121 that is connected slidably to the middle portion 231 of the operating member 23 for guiding movement of the operating member 23 in the first and second axial directions.
The latch unit further includes a cam arrangement that permits movement of the second latch member 21 to the unlatched position against the biasing action of the first biasing member 22 when the operating member 23 is moved in the first axial direction, and that permits movement of the second latch member 21 to the latched position when the operating member 23 is moved in the second axial direction. The cam arrangement includes a cam formed on the first end portion 234 of the operating member 23, and a cam follower 212 provided on the second latch member 21.
The latch unit further includes a second biasing member 24 for biasing the operating member 23 in the second axial direction.
The operating member 23 further has a push portion 232 that extends from the middle portion 231 thereof for facilitating movement of the operating member 23 in the first axial direction against the biasing action of the second biasing member 24.
The second end portion 233 of the operating member 23, as illustrated in FIG. 3, pushes the rear end 132 of the disk drive 13 so as to disconnect the terminal 133 of the disk drive 13 from the electrical connector 14 when the operating member 23 is moved in the first axial direction.
Although the aforementioned known apparatus can achieve its intended purpose, the latch unit of the known apparatus is complicated in structure. In addition, a relatively large pushing force is required to be applied to the push portion 232 of the operating member 23 in order to disconnect the terminal 133 of the disk drive 13 from the electrical connector 14.